Odd outings and varied timings

The last week seems to have been rubbish as far as settling into a rhythm has been concerned – three late evenings at work messed up the evening running a bit but I still got out – Tuesday searching a new 4 mile route (three nasty hills in 4 miles might not be the easiest mid-week outing to look forward to), Friday just plodding around the hilly route through Udimore for 3 miles to keep the legs working. I don’t think I got much out of either of them, but hey.

Yesterday saw me pop out on the push-bike for 13 miles of windy weather, completely overdressed as I was expecting a chill in the air that wasn’t there and this afternoon ended much the same, but with a run.

Cathy is looking to find some non-road marathon training routes and I lead her to the one that links the new bit of Park Farm with the new bit of Willesborough. Passing under the by-pass and skirting the industrial estate as it does, peace and solitude it isn’t. But it is quiet in the fact that very few people use it. And with the added bonus of being able to arrive at the opposite side of Ashford without crossing a road, longer runs are made of just such a path.

The pace was erratic, however. The pink Pashley was decided on – not the ideal steed for an off-road (albeit gentle) foray, so on the rougher bits and into the wind, I ran quicker. Which resulted in slower miles as I looped around to close the gaps. Explaining which areas of the town went where also interrupted proceedings but, as soon as the road towards Tesco was arrived on, there was no stopping her. I was left for dead despite upping the pace for a mile to my fastest comfortable speed without sounding like I’m dying, but at least I saw her to say goodbye as she went in for provisions forgotten yesterday as I plodded home.

I think I could call the session Fartlek or something if I cared to. Instead I’ll describe it as varied in pace and length – ending, as it did, at just over 7 miles, I was surprised at the freshness I felt upon return.